Borate Ions in the Gas Phase, Fast-Atom Bombardment of Condensed-Phase Borates

摘要

The intractable properties of crystalline and vitreous, condensed-phase boron-oxygen compounds have always hindered the generation and analysis of gas-phase boron-oxygen species. Recently, structures of gas-phase boron oxide cations, generated by fast-atom bombardment (FAB) of boron trioxide (B2O3), were proposed on the basis of collision-induced dissociation (CID). The experiments employed a high-temperature FAB sample holder which eliminated problems with hygroscopicity and provided a molten sample for fast-atom bombardment by xenon atoms. It was concluded that boron oxide cations typically contain integral BO3 triangles and terminal -B=O units, in which case boron is exclusively 3- or 2- coordinated with oxygen. (jes)